Malaysian Indian politician calls expulsion ‘eyewash’

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 25 (IANS) Bickering within the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) has taken yet another twist with a former senior office-bearer calling his expulsion from the party “just an eyewash”.”This action was to dissuade me from contesting against long-time party chief S. Samy Vellu,” former vice-president M. Muthupalaniappan was quoted as saying by The Star Sunday.

He indicated that he might quit MIC, saying it was the right time for him to cease being an MIC member.

Party disciplinary committee chairman G. Vadiveloo Saturday said a letter was sent to Muthupalaniappan Wednesday stating that a three-member panel had unanimously agreed that he had made statements against the party.

He, however, said Muthupalaniappan could appeal to the party’s Central Working Committee (CWC) within two weeks.

On last Tuesday’s hearing of the disciplinary committee, Muthupalaniappan had objected to Vadiveloo chairing the meeting.

Muthupalaniappan claimed in a statement that he was not given a chance to produce witnesses to prove that the statements he had made were “lawful and the truth”.

He said that Samy Vellu feared the same fate in the party polls as in the general election.

Samy Vellu, who lost his ninth re-election bid and his parliamentary seat in the March 8 polls last year, has rejected demands that he own up responsibility for the party’s debacle and quit.